Catharina Klein
Research expert covering Japan
Decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant - statistics & facts
In March 2011, the Tohoku Earthquake caused a tsunami that led to the meltdown of three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. Even though nuclear energy had become a priority for Japan's energy sector, all nuclear reactors were shut down for safety inspections shortly after the disaster. In 2023, Japan initiated the first release of treated nuclear-contaminated wastewater from its damaged Fukushima nuclear power station into the Pacific Ocean, reviving global attention 12 years after the incident.
Tokyo Electric Power Company, short TEPCO, which owns the nuclear power station, is continuously working on decontaminating the power plant. The process could take 30 years or more to dismantle the reactors and remove all the buildings and nuclear fuel. It is a complex process as there are high radiation levels and large amounts of radioactive waste.
Decontaminating the plant is crucial to Japan, as the island nation intends to use nuclear power safely in the future to reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and electricity costs. The first nuclear reactors were restarted in 2015 and about 12 reactors are currently operable.
Experts from several countries, the United Nations, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have run tests and stated that the water release will have negligible impact on humans and the environment but should be monitored closely. However, some neighboring countries and the fishing industry voiced concerns about the water discharge and China immediately banned all imports of Japanese seafood products.
While there were also protests in Japan, a recent survey among people from Fukushima Prefecture found that most respondents were not concerned about the long-term health effects due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Another survey from 2023 revealed that most Japanese consumers were not concerned about low radiation doses if they were within the standard value. Additionally, the support for nuclear energy in Japan slowly started to increase again in recent years.
Decontamination process of Fukushima Daiichi
The shutdown of the Fukushima power plant had a significant effect on the Japanese energy sector as the share of nuclear power generation dropped to zero and nuclear energy was mainly replaced by fossil fuels. Since the island nation is dependent on fossil fuel imports, electricity costs for homes increased. Furthermore, the disaster added further fuel to the ongoing global debate on the safety and use of nuclear energy.Tokyo Electric Power Company, short TEPCO, which owns the nuclear power station, is continuously working on decontaminating the power plant. The process could take 30 years or more to dismantle the reactors and remove all the buildings and nuclear fuel. It is a complex process as there are high radiation levels and large amounts of radioactive waste.
Decontaminating the plant is crucial to Japan, as the island nation intends to use nuclear power safely in the future to reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and electricity costs. The first nuclear reactors were restarted in 2015 and about 12 reactors are currently operable.
Mixed opinions on the release of treated nuclear-contaminated water
One major issue that arose quickly during the decommissioning process was the large amount of nuclear-contaminated water that the plant produced as water was pumped into the plant to cool down the nuclear reactors' fuel rods. As TEPCO ran out of places to store this water, the company decided to filter the water to reduce most radioactive substances to acceptable safety standards. The treated water would then be diluted with seawater and then released into the Pacific Ocean. The treated water still contains small amounts of tritium. However, the amount of tritium is within the standard for drinking water according to the World Health Organization. The first discharge of such treated water started in August 2023. Three further discharges are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024.Experts from several countries, the United Nations, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have run tests and stated that the water release will have negligible impact on humans and the environment but should be monitored closely. However, some neighboring countries and the fishing industry voiced concerns about the water discharge and China immediately banned all imports of Japanese seafood products.
While there were also protests in Japan, a recent survey among people from Fukushima Prefecture found that most respondents were not concerned about the long-term health effects due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Another survey from 2023 revealed that most Japanese consumers were not concerned about low radiation doses if they were within the standard value. Additionally, the support for nuclear energy in Japan slowly started to increase again in recent years.
